Rolling Along

Here's Some Advice To Help You Keep Up With The Changes In Today's Bikes

June 04, 1999|By David Sharos. Special to the Tribune.

The Chicago area is not where mountain climbers yearn to be, but its relatively flat terrain plays right into the recreational plans for bicyclists, who return to the area's more than 1,000 miles of off-road trails and bike paths every year about this time.

If two-wheeling is your passion and a new bike or upgrading the old one is in your plans, here's a rundown of what's new and different since the last time you visited the local bicycle shop.

Today's market features anywhere from four to six styles of bikes, depending on each manufacturer's marketing system. The choices include road or racing bikes, mountain bikes, hybrid, cross-trainer and comforts bikes, cruisers, and children's models. A dedicated retailer should be able to fit you to a bike that meets your needs.

"Before making any purchase, consider the type of riding you plan to do, how frequently and where," said Warren Conrad, sales manager for The Pony Shop in Evanston. "A lot of people buy mountain bikes today and then take them on paths. There's a lot of wheel vibration and rolling resistance with off-road mountain bikes you don't want on a bike path. A lot of people would be better off with the newer comfort series of bikes."

According to a study published in the June 1997 issue of Consumer Reports, "mountain bikes remain the best value for most bicyclists."

George Garner Jr., who, with his father, operates the Cyclery in Northbrook as well as stores in Libertyville and Lake Zurich, says the styling and "psychological" feel of mountain bikes appeal to consumers.

"People feel better or safer because of the tires and feel of the bike," Garner said. "There are also options like suspension forks that make the ride more comfortable."

Retailers say mountain bikes start at around $225 and can go as high as $4,000. Consumer Reports reported that midpriced bikes near the $300 mark were often the best value: a Specialized Hardrock GX, Trek 820, Giant's Rincon and Schwinn's Frontier GSX were all highly rated. Some models or numbers may have changed since 1997, so ask about replacements.

For female riders, Alan Witort, manager of Village Cycle Sport in Schaumburg, says that Trek has released two WSD (Women Specific Design) 1999 models: the Trek 6500WSD ($699) and the Trek 8000WSD ($1,029).

Regarding features, Garner says to look for index shifting with grip shifts on the handlebar. Chrome-moly steel is thinner than regular steel tubing and absorbs shocks better. Most mountain bikes have 21 gears, while others may offer as many as 27.

Mountain bikes with wide, knobby tires are designed for aggressive, off-road riding. For limestone trails and blacktop, the newer comfort bikes are an ideal match.

"The biggest area in terms of what's new in the past five years has to be the comfort features available on bikes," said Mike Farrell, who operates Prairie Path Schwinn in Winfield.

"These are bikes for people who ride trails and aren't going over logs," Witort says. "The bikes aren't necessarily lighter than mountain bikes. They basically put the bottom bracket lower to the ground and made the head tube higher, which raises the level of the handle bar and allows you to ride in a more upright position."

Like the mountain models, comfort bikes typically come with 21 speeds but offer softer rides, using shock-absorber seat posts, cozier seats and flex stems connected to the handle bars. Witort says not to assume that they're only Mom and Pop bikes.

"Comfort bikes are for all ages," he says. "For someone doing recreational riding and not looking to do 50 milers or centuries (100-mile rides), they're perfect."

Schwinn, Trek, and Cannondale all offer no less than four models of comfort bikes. Prices for Schwinn range from $299 to $649; Trek's models are $279 to $699; and the Cannondales are $499 to $1,200.

Riders looking for higher mileage with faster, easier-rolling tires should consider hybrid or cross bikes, which attempt to combine the features of road or racing bikes with some characteristics of comfort or mountain bikes.

"Cross bikes feature the same-sized wheel as road bikes," Witort said. "The bikes are usually a few pounds lighter in weight, like road bikes, and have narrower, faster-rolling tires."

Conrad says hybrids start at around $230 and can easily cost as much as $1,000, depending on components. Consumer Reports' last article on hybrids named Univega, Cannondale, Bianchi and Trek as their top four manufacturers.

Road or racing bikes are making a comeback, Witort says, with mountain bikers returning to their roots.

"A lot of people switched from road bikes years ago to mountain and now they're coming back," he said. "You've got a choice of steel, carbon-fiber and aluminum bikes. My best advice before buying is to ride a bunch of road bikes first."